Executive Committee
Dr Lindsay Scholtz
President
Dr Lindsay Scholtz is a Specialist Psychiatrist with a strong interest in Addiction Psychiatry.
She obtained her MBChB from the University of the Free State in 2011. She completed her Diploma in Mental Health (DMH[SA]) in 2014, followed by Fellowship of the College of Psychiatrists (FCPsych) in 2019 and an M.Med (Psychiatry) in 2020. In 2025, she completed her M.Phil in Addiction Psychiatry through Stellenbosch University. She is passionate about teaching and empowering healthcare professionals through education and skills development. Alongside her focus on addiction psychiatry, she has special clinical interests in chronic pain, women’s mental health, and severe mental illness. She is currently working in the government sector in the Eastern Cape and in her spare time loves to travel and chase a good cup of coffee.
Dr Taiwo Akindipe
Secretary
Dr Taiwo Akindipe is a psychiatrist with over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. He graduated as a medical doctor and completed the Fellowship in Psychiatry from West Africa. He joined Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, in 2009 where he received sub-specialist training in Addiction Psychiatry. Meanwhile, he obtained an MPhil in Addictions from the University of Cape Town in the same year.
Dr Thabo Mogotlane
Guidelines
Dr. Petrus Thabo Mogotlane, an esteemed specialist in psychiatry and addiction medicine, possesses an MBChB from the University of Limpopo (MEDUNSA Campus) along with various advanced qualifications. These include a Fellowship of the College of Psychiatrists of South Africa (FCPsych), a Master of Medicine in Psychiatry from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, a Master of Philosophy in Addiction Psychiatry, and a Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry from the College of Medicine of South Africa.
He is currently recognized by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) as an addiction psychiatrist and has been honored with the Discovery Subspecialist Award for 2024/2025. Presently, Dr. Mogotlane holds the position of unit head at Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital.
Dr Lize Weich
Guidelines
Dr. Lize Weich is an addiction psychiatrist at Stikland Hospital and a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University. She is responsible for coordinating addiction services for the psychiatric hospitals in the Western Province. She also coordinates pre- and postgraduate training in addiction care at Stellenbosch University, including the Postgraduate Diploma in Addiction Care, Certificate in Addiction Psychiatry, and MPhil in Addiction Psychiatry programs.
Dr Kavendren Odayar
Treasurer
Dr Kavendren Odayar is a Specialist Psychiatrist with a special interest in Addiction Psychiatry.
He obtained his MBChB from the University of Cape Town in 2008, followed by a Diploma in Mental Health (DMH[SA]) in 2011. He qualified as a Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists (FCPsych) in 2015 and completed his M.Phil in Addiction Psychiatry through Stellenbosch University in 2024. He is currently working in the Private Sector of the Eastern Cape. He is passionate about all aspects of addiction psychiatry and also has a strong clinical interest in ADHD, mood disorders, and complex psychiatric cases. In his spare time, he enjoys archery, long-distance running, and spending time with his dog.
Dr Lisa Dannatt
OST & Training
Dr Lisa Dannatt is an addictions psychiatrist in private practice. She is passionate about holistic, integrated, and multidisciplinary psychiatric care. Dr Dannatt completed her undergraduate degree at the University of the Witwatersrand, completing her MBBCh in 2004. She then went on to complete postgraduate specialist training in psychiatry at Stellenbosch University obtaining her FC Psych and MMed Psych qualifications in 2014. She completed her MPhil in Addictions Mental Health at UCT in 2020 and was registered as an addiction’s psychiatrist by the HPCSA in 2022. Dr Dannatt is involved in clinical patient care; addictions teaching and training; and relevant clinical addictions research, but secretly wishes that she could be a librarian.
Dr Richard Goncalves
Social Media and Press Liaison
Dr Richard Goncalves is a psychiatrist currently working in private practice in Cape Town. He serves as a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town and is a current candidate in the MPhil in Addictions Mental Health at this university. His clinical and research interests include psychotherapy, gambling, stigma, smoking cessation, and sports psychiatry.